Contagious Chemistry
by AccioTintin
Summary: The beginning of the Marauders. Takes place in first and second year. I'm not sure how this will play out. It might be a series of drabbles or an actual story. Please note that I was too lazy to properly proof-read so there is most likely some mistakes. Read & Review my lovelies!


"Mum, I _don't_ want to go." A young Remus Lupin groaned, staring at the red train before him, donned the _Hogwarts Express_.

"Nonsense, you'll be fine!" His mother, Juliana, said cheerfully as she tousled his hair. Remus's shoulders slumped and he brushed her hand away.

"People are going to stare at me…" He mumbled dejectedly. John, his father, bent down so that he was eye to eye with his only son. "And what, exactly, are they going to be staring at? There's nothing wrong with you." He told Remus firmly. John always told him that he was fine. There was nothing wrong. He was just like any other kid.

Remus raised a sceptical eyebrow.

"Dad, look at my face. See these? These scars? Not everyone has them- and not everyone looks like they haven't slept in as long as I have. Three nights, dad. _Three nights_ since I last had a good sleep. It won't take long for them to figure out what I am. I'll have no friends- I'll sit down somewhere, and everyone within a ten meter radius will move!" He proclaimed. Remus heavily believed his life was governed by Murphy's Law. Everything that could go wrong, would. Therefore he held a very bleak outlook regarding his future, and often just gave up before even trying some things. His father let out long and exasperated sigh.

"Remus, for the millionth time, you're no different from the other kids." He said calmly, watching his young son with somewhat saddened eyes. He disliked how Remus felt about himself.

Remus scoffed as he crossed his arms defiantly. "Right dad. _Sure_. That weird pale kid in the corner with the scars. No different. Not at all. He'll fit in fine…"

"Remus John Lupin, you listen to me right now!" His father demanded, raising his voice a little. "I won't have any of that talk, alright? Just go." He scolded him, pointing in the direction of the train. Remus pouted, and then grabbed his trolley.

"Fine, I'll go." He said blankly, rolling his eyes as he began walking away. However, his mother raced after him to throw her arms around his thin waist.

"I love you, Remus." She whispered, her eyes watering up.

"Mum…" Remus began, trying to shrug her off. But she held him tightly.

"You're so grown up! Off to Hogwarts- I'll miss you so much, baby!" She cried into his shoulder. Remus grunted in defeat, and turned around to hug his mother tightly. He always loved his mother better than his father- Ever since he found out that his attack was his father's fault. He knew it was wrong to dislike his father a bit because of it, but he couldn't help himself. If his father hadn't been so careless…

"I'll write, mum, I promise." He said kindly, his mother's arms having soothed away his nasty mood. His mother pulled away slowly, holding him at arm's length.

"Alright. Have fun. I love you." She told him, wiping tears away from her cheeks. Remus smiled weakly, then turned and left for the train.

After some thorough searching, Remus found an empty compartment in which he could be alone. The other kids were loud and like he had predicted, they stared.

He sat down on the comfortable leather seat and looked out of the window. He saw his father running his eyes along the train, searching for him, and his mother crying into his shoulder. His father spotted him, and nodded a little. Remus smiled at him, and his dad gently shook his mother. She looked up, and spotted her son. She waved hugely, and Remus waved back. He hated goodbyes. He hated them more than he cared to put into words. Since every full moon was a goodbye for him and he never knew if he was ever going to recover from one of the rough nights. It took a few minutes before the train jolted and began moving away from the station, at exactly eleven.

Remus stared out of the window, watching the countryside roll past him. Fields of green, patches of trees, and quaint farmhouses much like his own passed him by. He was just getting used to the peace and quiet when the door swung open and two boys fell in rather noisily. Both of the boys had jet black hair, but one wore glasses and had keen hazel eyes. The boy who fell in behind him had sparkling grey eyes and shoulder length hair. They were both laughing loudly, until the long haired one spotted Remus.

"Hello." He said with a flirtatious smirk. He looked to be the same age as Remus.

Remus blinked at him for a moment, before replying with an awkward, "Hello."

The long haired boy raised two eyebrows in surprise. "Wait- Are you a girl or a boy? Because you look like a girl, but you sound sorta like a boy." He asked, confusion laced all throughout his voice. The boy with glasses playfully slapped the long haired boy on the back, "That's not very nice, Sirius!" He exclaimed. Sirius the long haired lad scoffed.

Oh yeah? Well you smell, James!"

James, the other boy, put his hands on his hips like some sort of disapproving mother.

"I'm English, not _French_- not like you are! You're a smelly Frenchman! You're a smelly Frenchman!" He taunted Sirius, who pouted childishly. "I'm only a little bit French-"

"Uh, excuse me? I was- _was_ being the key term here- Enjoying peace of being alone. You can either sit down and be quiet or leave." Remus interrupted them all of a sudden. Both boys shut up as Remus looked Sirius in the eyes.

"I'm Remus Lupin. I'm a boy."

Sirius nodded curtly, taking in the information he had been given. He looked a little surprised. Remus had long hair that was tied up, and he had his mother's eyelashes and lips, so he did appear quite maiden-like.

"Don't mind him. He's a bit out of control. I've known him for a whole half an hour and he's already hit on three girls, and actually hit two other lads. But we're like best friends now, can you believe it? We're going to be in Gryffindor together." James told Remus proudly, pointing to Sirius. Sirius glared rather hard at him, making James sigh.

"He can't help it most of the time." James added in his friends defence. He then stuck out his hand, "I'm James, by the way. James Potter." He introduced himself. Remus looked at his hand, but didn't take it. He looked back up at James's face. "Nice to meet you." Remus drawled. Before Remus could protest, Sirius grabbed Remus's hand and shook it vigorously, nearly snapping Remus's hand off at the wrist. Remus stared at him in horror and the boy grinned, "Sirius Black- But you can call me Sirius Black." James laughed at Sirius obnoxiously and Remus felt for a moment that he had made a mistake letting those two sit in the compartment with him.

Their newfound silence was interrupted by a loud bang outside of their door.

"No, no! Don't give me a wedgie! Please! No!" A boy could be heard pleading. James stood up.

"What's this? Someone in trouble? Sounds like a job for a Gryffindor!" He exclaimed louder than necessary, leaping to the door and pulling it open. On the floor just outside of their compartment was a chubby blonde boy, cowering away from three older boys who looked around thirteen years old. James crossed his arms.

"Leave him alone, would ya?" James demanded, and one of them laughed. "Ha, look at this ickle firstie come to fatty's rescue! What are you gonna do about it, four-eyes?" He asked in a mocking, mean voice. Sirius came to stand by James's side, and one of the boys eyes widened.

"Hey, ain't you a Black?" He asked, and Sirius gave a single nod. The boy grinned, "That's way cool! The Black family is like, one of the most powerful families ever, innit?"

"Yeah, so you better leave my friends alone or face the consequences." Sirius's voice was low and menacing. Needless to say, the three boys turned and left, leaving the chubby boy almost in tears on the floor. James pulled him up by the arm and dragged him into the compartment. Sirius shut the door, before sitting down rather closely beside Remus. Remus scooted over a bit, feeling as though his comfort zone had been invaded. The chubby boy sat beside James.  
"What's your name, then?" Sirius piped up, grinning suddenly, his frightening attitude gone. The chubby boy swallowed hard. He was red in the face, and his eyes were watery.

"I-I'm Peter Pettigrew. Thank you for helping m-me." Peter mumbled, and James wrapped a casual arm around his shoulder. "That's no problem. I'm James Potter. That's my best friend Sirius Black, and that's Remus Lupin. He's a boy." James said, and Remus gave Peter a brief wave before turning back to look out of the window. Moments of silence passed before James spoke again.

"You know, I have this weird feeling that the four of us are going to be _really_ good friends. Are you feeling it, Sirius?"

"I'm feeling it, James. How about you, Peter?"

"Huh? I guess so, yeah. Remus?"

The werewolf in question looked around the compartment at the three boys.

_James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew… Could we really become friends?_


End file.
